Enrollment Status

In general, full-time status is defined as enrollment in 12 or more credits for undergraduate students, and enrollment in 9 or more credits for graduate students.

Part-time status is defined as less than full-time. Part-time students may have limited access to University resources and should check with the office offering the service to determine their eligibility.

In addition to the general definitions, a variety of other terms are used to identify different levels of enrollment. Examples include: 3/4 time, half-time, less than half-time, students enrolling in 1-8 credits, students enrolling in 9 or more credits, and academic overload. At PSU, enrollment status terms and definitions apply to 1) tuition schedules, 2) academic overload approval requirements, 3) federal financial aid guidelines, and 4) enrollment verification/certification to outside parties.

1) Enrollment Status for Tuition Purposes

Tuition charges are calculated according to a number of variables: student level (undergraduate or graduate), residency status, course level (undergraduate or graduate), admission status (i.e., admitted or non-admitted), special college, major or program costs, and number of credits, including audit credits. Note: Self-support program courses are not included in determining enrollment status for tuition purposes since the tuition costs are assessed separately from the charges associated with regular courses.

Admitted Students

Admitted undergraduate and graduate students pay tuition and fees based on the number of credits, their student level (undergraduate or graduate), any special college, major or program costs, and whether they are Oregon residents or nonresidents.

An exception: Admitted students who are eligible for the Washington Border Policy and who are enrolled in 1-8 credits are assessed resident tuition rates.

Admitted Postbaccalaureates pay tuition based on the number of credits, the level of the courses and whether they are residents or non-residents.  Postbaccalaureate students are assessed at the undergraduated tuition rate for all courses numbered 499 and below, and at the graduate tuition rate for all courses numbered 500 or above.

Non-Admitted Students

Non-admitted students enrolled in 1-8 credits pay tuition and fees based on the number of credits, and on the level of the courses(s) (undergraduate or graduate) in which they enroll.

Oregon resident tuition applies to students in this status, regardless of the student's residency status. Non-admitted students may enroll in 1-8 credits by submitting a one-time Non-Degree Entry Form to enable registration for classes.

Non-admitted students enrolled in 9 or more credits in summer term are charged tuition based the number of credits, and on the level of the course(s) (undergrad or grad level).  Students in this status are assessed tuition according to their residency status.

2) Enrollment Status and Academic Overload

Undergraduate students who enroll in more than 21 credits and graduate students who enroll in more than 16 credits per term are considered to be in academic overload. Extended Studies and self-support credits, audit credits, and those taken at other institutions while concurrently enrolled at PSU are counted in determining an overload status. Academic overload must be approved on a term-by-term basis as follows:

Undergraduate:

22-25 credits: Students must obtain approval from their academic program adviser using the Overload Approval Form, which is available from and may be returned to the Admissions, Registration and Records windows in the lobby of Neuberger Hall.

26 or more credits: Students must petition the Academic Requirements Committee. Forms are available at the Registration windows in the lobby of Neuberger Hall. Students must provide justification for the overload and obtain written support from their academic program adviser. Petitions must be submitted to 104 Neuberger Hall by the first day of the term.

Graduate:

17-19 credits: Students must obtain approval from the department head of their academic program using the Graduate Petition Form, available from the department or from the Office of Graduate Studies.

20 or more credits: Students must obtain approval from the chair of the graduate committee of their academic program and the dean of graduate studies using the Graduate Petition Form.

3) Enrollment Status for Federal Financial Aid Purposes

¹ Applies only to Pell Grant; no other federal aid is available to students enrolled in fewer than 6 credits.

² Refers to all postbaccalaureate students, whether enrolled in undergraduate or graduate level courses.

Audit credits, independent study/correspondence courses, non-credit courses, and credit-by-exam courses do not apply for financial aid purposes. Self-support courses (see Tuition for Self-Support Courses for further explanation) numbered 100-699, as well as Math 70 and Math 95, do apply.

4) Enrollment Verification/Certification to Outside Parties

Outside parties such as lenders, employers, insurance companies, and veterans benefit programs often require student enrollment verification.

Verification or certification of enrollment is determined according to student level and the number of credits for which the student is registered.
Self-support courses (see Tuition for Self-Support Courses for further explanation) are included in determining the number of credits; audit credits, independent study/correspondence credits, and credit-by-exam hours are not included. PSU definitions for certifying enrollment are listed in the following table:

Full-time status definitions may vary by outside agency.

National Student Clearinghouse

Portland State has a contractual agreement with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to assume responsibility for all student verification needs. The NSC is a not-for-profit holding company created to streamline the verification process between students, lenders, or other parties. Students can print official verifications of enrollment by following the "Enrollment Verification" link in the Student Service portion of the PSU Information System. The link connects to the NSC Student Self-Service site; click on the link and follow the prompts to obtain an official verification.

• Click here for instructions on how to create and print an enrollment verification.
• Click here to download the Special Enrollment Veriifciation Request Form.

The NSC begins certifying Portland State enrollment for a given term on the Monday before the first day of that term. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other information available to students through the NSC:

• Loan deferment notifications the NSC has provided to loan holders
• Enrollment certifications provided to health insurers and other providers of student services or products
• List of lending servicers who have reported to the NSC that they are holding an individual's student loans, with links to those web sites

Questions about status and notification should be directed to the NSC at 703.742.7791 or at service@studentclearinghouse.org